Recycled Christmas Tree...feed the birds!

 This year, I hated to throw my Christmas tree on the curb just yet, so instead I stood it on the back deck. My yard has no shrubs yet....and I think that is why I don't have many birds. They don't have any cover. Then I decided it looked pretty bare, so I collected some pine cones, and spread them with peanut butter and pressed birdseed into it. Just like we made in grade school!

 These were messy and fun to make.

 I tied them on to the branches with bits of ribbon. It looked great! Next thing I knew, it looked like this:

And the culprit is the squirrels of course. So I tied it off to the railings. That seems to have worked so far...no more falling trees.

 The squirrels are really enjoying it. I've had a few birds, and I hope they tell their friends.

The temperature dropped way down, and I went out and got a heated birdbath at the local Big R farm store. It's super cold now, below 0 and it is still keeping the water open. I also moved the bird feeder with the squirrel guard up to the railing.  Seems to be a great way to enjoy the Christmas tree a little longer!

Salvaged path, trellis, edging in the garden.

I'm trying to spend my money on shrubs and perennials, so I couldn't see spending 29+ dollars each on trellises. So I went to my aunt and uncle's farm and scavenged around. This was a looong ladder, and my uncle cut it in half for me. Just propped them where I have some morning glories planted. It might need some chicken wire for the plants to climb, but I can still add that.

The bottle tree needs a few more bottles. I guess I'll have to sacrifice for the cause and drink some wine selected by bottle color! The iron pieces are parts of a farm tool (rake?) that I bought at a garage sale. I've got some cosmos planted in there and these should help keep them upright when it rains.

My friend Warren colored the pic up for me, showing what the ladders would look like if they were stained to match the deck, with and without the rungs painted colors. I really like the one with colorful rungs, but I also love the old weathered look they have now. Looking at these pics, I can see how much simpler it looks with the ladders matching the deck color.  I wish I could change the deck railing from sunbursts to straight as well, and I will one of these days. I think the sunburst is a bit too contemporary for my bungalow, plus the gaps are too wide to be safe with little children.

Backyard to Garden (someday)

The front of my house is nicely landscaped (came to me that way!) but the back is a blank canvas. It has a very nice deck, for which I'm so thankful, since that would be an expensive place to start if it  hadn't come with one! The deck is like 3 little rooms stepping down to the back yard. Other than that there were no shrubs or trees or flowers.

Last year, I stained and sealed the deck, and planted this cherry tree. Or rather Jeff planted it...he did all the hard part, and since he planted gazillions of trees at his old house, he really knows what he is doing!

Here is how it ended up last summer. It was pleasant to sit out there, but the yard was still as blank as could be. 

 Behind the tallest part of the deck, I've been working on digging up a flower bed. There is a little door that accesses under the deck, and I laid stepping stones I found behind the garage (free! wooohooo!). I edged it with some bricks Jeff found in his yard. Tonight I'll scrub up those stepping stones and level them out with some sand.

This house is more a more casual style than the last one, and I think it lends itself to my penchant for recycling things. 

This is the yard at the old house. As you can see, I like to have some color! So hopefully soon I will have some here too. I will if I can keep the darn squirrels from digging the plants out of the pots. I had to replant the marigolds they tossed out this morning. Maybe they don't like marigolds?!

Up-cycling...making a planter box

 I am working on my back yard. It has a very nice deck but no plants. I'm also trying to spend my money on the plants that live from year to year, shrubs and such, so I'm getting creative with the other stuff. This wooden box was in my garage. I planted it with morning glories and then some other flowers in the front. Then I decided it was too plain.

 So I sat down on the ground and screwed some old license plates to it. That would have been soo much easier if I'd thought of it before I filled it with dirt and plants! Anyway, I think it turned out pretty cute, and I can't wait to see it with a bunch of blue morning glories growing up the side of the garage.

I set it on some bricks to help keep it from rotting, and attached chicken wire at the back.

Gardens that Make Me Smile

This one is ours...the swing is back up and it puts a smile on my face (that it's done, and that it's such a happy color!). That phlox always reminds me of my Grandmama's yard.

More...just some flowers outside our garage.

Now, on to some other flowers in town! This is some of the City of Pontiac's handwork! It makes walking or driving to town over the Mill Street bridge a pleasure.

As I'm walking over the bridge I always look over at this building. It has offices in the downstairs, and a home in the upstairs.  They have a beautiful garden overlooking the river.

It must be lovely to sit up there, watching the hummingbirds and catching the breeze. It puts a smile on my face whenever I pass, which is several times a day.

Going green....

Well, not going green in the way we ususally think of now, but in the actual green. In my attempt to post every day from now until the end of the month, you are getting some shots taken right at dusk, so I apologize for the little bit of blur you might encounter.

This color has been popping up on our porch in the cushion cover stripes, this lantern, a little in the hammock.

Of course in those sweet potato vines...I love those things...they brighten up any pot. Sometimes I plant them right in a bed where they go crazy and make a huge bright green spread.

I just put the second coat on the swing that goes in the back yard...tomorrow we should get to hang it back up. I got the first coat of green on a bench that goes in the front yard, just outside the porch.  Then that, quite possibly, is enough bright green. I think I may be able to blame this on Colleen who adores this color. I've learned to appreciate it, probably because of her.

I know that dress looks like a softer green, but the blue and purple tulle is toning down the brightest neon green you can imagine. That was her senior prom dress. Such a sweetie.

I feel a little like Tom Sawyer............

Yesterday I pressure washed and primed the swing, and today I have my new daughter-in-law painting it! I don't know why but I am usually a bit of a control freak...which is not good. Delegating is good! I see the light! I'm in here cooking supper, and the swing is getting painted. The color in the picture above is more like the true color. Bright!

One of my best friends, Peggy,  is trying to post to her blog every day for 30 days. I'm not sure I can think of something to post about every day, but I'm going to give it a try...

Gardening...

I got a very late start this year, and still haven't caught up, but things are blooming! Luckily, perennials know when to bloom whether I'm late or not. And they come up on their own, right on schedule.

Many folks don't like the lowly day lily because they grow out of bounds. I love them...because they grow out of bounds. Ha! I'm better off with plants that don't need lots of attention, and that list includes most of the ones that you have to start ripping out when they get too carried away.

Mom checking out the hydrangea.

This year the Lace Cap Hydrangea finally bloomed. It's been there, growing and green, but apparently it has to get some size to it before it starts blooming. I think it was worth the wait!

 Here's another hydrangea on the side of the house. They come up every year, love the shade, and flower like crazy...what's not to love?!

This is Trumpet Vine and Silver Lace Vine all mixed up on the arbor. I'm not sure how it happened, because the Silver Lace Vine grew beautifully for years...on the other side of the arbor. Now for some reason it has died out on that side and is coming up with the Trumpet Vine. I've planted a Black Eyed Susan Vine on the other side now, but it's an annual and it takes it a while for it to get a decent size.

 

This is just me enjoying being out of high heels after the wedding. I got the cutest apron at TJMaxx and ended up wearing it all day. Yes, I wear aprons.....when I have my wits about me, anyway. It seems that anytime I mess with food, it's attracted to my clothes like a magnet, so I try to remember. I was checking out this book the other day, and all the wonderful vintage aprons. I almost bought it, thinking I'd make myself a few really cute ones, but then I realized...the last thing I need at this moment is another project!

Flowers, flowers, flowers!

I think I have my work cut out for me! I've been getting the weeds out of the beds, and now I need to get to planting! It's so late that I thought I'd have to spend a fortune on getting bigger plants, but Big R is having a sale...they have beautiful large baskets marked down to 4 and 5 dollars each. These just came in too...they are not wilted planters that you have to baby back to health. If you're local, you can pick up a bargain.

I also had good luck at "The Garden Path" in the country outside Cornell...she always has gorgeous stuff and she has sales going on too.

It's for the Birds

It was beautiful out today. Although I was pretty lazy this morning, I did putter around the yard for a little bit this morning. It's still to early to put out flowers, but I washed out the birdbath and filled it up.

It's the first mosaic project I ever did. I wondered how long this birdbath would last, and to tell you the truth, I've been pleasantly surprised. I made this probably at least 9 years ago. In the winter we take the top off and lean it against a tree so water does not freeze and thaw in it. With that little care, I expected it to fall apart long ago, but it's still looking pretty good!

Little by little, I've been saving snippets of yarn and tucking them in a jar. Today I put the yarn and some lint from the dryer in the bag some oranges came in, and hung it out for the birds. We did this last year too, and when we cleaned out the birdhouses it was fun to see all the nests with woven with twigs and bits of wool.

Cowboy Garden Party...

...that's what you get when my sister Jennifer throws a party for her little boy. She and Kevin have a beautiful garden on their country property. I thought you might like to see pics.


Kevin built this arbor from osage orange...it should outlive everyone at the party! The wistera on it was blooming so beautifully!


Handsome Cole boys. Mike, our son, is in the middle. The others are his twin cousins, Steven and Jake. Steven looks just like his dad. Jake looks just like his uncle (good thing they are twins! ;o)) and Mike looks like a combo of Joe and I.

Kids are never allowed to ride in pickup beds these days...but just for today, they were allowed (with adult supervision) to do just that on the little ride to the pond to fish.

Mike, Jill, Colleen and Brandy

The birthday boy...he has a huge collection of toy cowboy guns. He armed each little party goer as they arrived. I think this was a surprise to my sister, and not very p.c. but they had a blast! Apparently 8 year olds are not into considering the political correctness of their party plans!

"Cheese!"

Waiting for cake!

Looks like a tea party here.